


Polished Rocks

by TiBun



Category: Free!
Genre: Butterfly Boyfriends, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, rinrei - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-05 01:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4160976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiBun/pseuds/TiBun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Rei's private swimming lessons brought them closer than they expected.</p><p>Takes place during season two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Polished Rocks

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters, I only explore the possibilities.

Rei shivered, pulling his white towel tighter around himself as he sat on the pool-side bench at Samezuka Academy. His glasses-less gaze staring blankly into the depths of the water.

He couldn't do it. No matter what he tried, he couldn't do it. Success had always come easy to him until now. Until he set toe in the water. It simply wasn't his element, and no matter how much he studied the theories, he would turn into an ungraceful, flailing housecat that fell into the tub. He thought he'd left all that behind when he discovered he could successfully swim butterfly, but now he was back at it, failing to go anywhere in the water but to the bottom.

"Hey, don't look so glum." Rin said, walking up behind Rei, two cans of juice in hand. He reached forward and around the blue-haired swimmer and pressed one against his cheek. "You did well today."

"Well?" Rei took the offered drink from Rin and turned around to face him, "I nearly drown. You had to dive in to save me!"

"…Well, okay, yeah, when you dove in too deep and hit your head on the bottom…that wasn't making progress, but before that you managed a full back stroke before you sank!" Rin grinned, set on trying to cheer the other boy up.

When Rei didn't respond, Rin sighed and sat down next to him, his back to the pool so that he could better face Rei who sat opposite. "Listen, it'll take some time. But you are a hard worker and I know you can learn this. Plus you have me helping you, and I'm one of the best! Before you know it, you'll be back at your own school, showing off to all those losers you call a team."

Rei blushed as the redhead ruffled his damp hair. "I am the perfect example of what I used to think swimming was before I saw Haruka-senpai in the water. Ungraceful splashing."

"Hmm," Rin agreed with a shrug, "You swim like a rock, but come on, haven't you seen rocks before? They can be some of the most beautiful things on earth. The colors, the swirls… You just need some polishing up, and that's what you came to me for!"

He sighed and took a sip of his juice, "Hey, if your head is feeling a bit better now, why don't we bow out early, get dressed, and grab something to eat? There's this place nearby I've been wanting to try. Then you can go home, rest up, and we can try everything again tomorrow. Come on, I'll treat."

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Glasses." Rin draped an arm around Rei as he hurried up behind the boy on the sidewalk, "How'd showing off to the others go?"

Rin and Rei had finally unlocked Rei's swimming potential in more than just the butterfly stroke, at their nightly swimming lessons had come to an end.

"Not quite as I imagined it to go." Rei shrugged, "They found out I was getting lessons from you."

"How nosy of them." Rin laughed and pulled back.

"Yeah, but they were just worried. I guess I wasn't so great at keeping a secret and not looking suspicious. Oh! I got you something—to thank you for helping me." Rei dug into his bag and pulled out a tin of butterfly shaped cookies, "Well, I made them, but I really wanted to thank you and it didn't feel right to just buy you something sweet! I made these special, according to your ideal diet. I hope you like them."

He held out the tin, bowing his head. The sight reminded Rin of a teenage girl offering up chocolates to her crush on Valentine's day, and he couldn't find it in his heart to tell Rei that he didn't like sweets. Reaching forward, he accepted the gift with a blush.

"Thanks…I…uh, I have something for you, too, actually."

Rin dug into his pocket and pulled out a phone charm, dangling it between them so that Rei could see the beautiful polished stone supporting blue and white swirls.

"I saw this and thought it was cheesy enough for you to like it."

"Rin…" Rei smiled, touching the gift with his fingertips, "It's beautiful."

"I know. Now hand over your phone."

Rin took Rei's phone and attached the charm to it for him.

"There. And don't forget our date this weekend! It's your turn to treat."

Rei smiled as he took back his phone, his fingers brushing up against Rin's palm, "I know, and I know just the place."

"I look forward to it." Rin planted a small kiss onto Rei's cheek in passing as they moved on their separate ways.

Rei, however, took pause, pressing a hand to his cheek and turning towards Rin. "Rin-chan-san!"

Rin laughed, "No one's paying attention. Relax a bit, Speedo-glasses!" And then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd.

 

* * *

-END-

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
